Read of the Week (June 8 to June 14)
Nadal won big and won often on all of tennis' surfaces: securing two Wimbledon titles on grass and six on the US Open and Australian Open hard courts.
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NDTV
33 minutes ago
- NDTV
Coco Gauff Lets It All Out After Winning 1st French Open Title: "Would Feel Regret..."
Coco Gauff said a maiden French Open trophy was "one I really wanted" after securing the title with victory over Aryna Sabalenka on Saturday. The 21-year-old secured a hard-fought 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6-4 win over the world number one in difficult, windy conditions at Roland Garros. "I felt like this is one I really wanted, because I do think this was one of the tournaments that when I was younger that I felt I had the best shot of winning," said American star Gauff. "So I just felt like if I went through my career and didn't get at least one of these, I would feel regrets and stuff. "Today, playing Aryna, I was just, 'I just gotta go for it and try my best to get through the match'." It was a long-awaited success for Gauff, who was in tears after losing the 2022 French Open final to Iga Swiatek as a teenager and had reached at least the quarter-finals in Paris in each of the previous four years. "That ceremony when Iga won, I just remembered trying to take it all in and pay attention to every detail and just feel like I wanted that experience for myself," added the world number two, who also came back from a set down to beat Sabalenka in the 2023 US Open final. "When the anthem got played, I vividly remember watching her, pretty emotional when the Polish anthem got played. I was, like, 'Wow, this is such a cool moment'. "So when the (USA) anthem got played today, I kind of had those reflections." - 'Not a day for great tennis' - Gauff is the first woman to beat a world number one in a Grand Slam final from a set down since Venus Williams against Lindsay Davenport at Wimbledon in 2005. It was her first title since lifting the WTA Finals trophy last year, after suffering final defeats in both the Madrid and Italian Opens to Sabalenka and Jasmine Paolini respectively. Sabalenka called the conditions "terrible", as the wind swirled after the roof was opened shortly before the start of the match. "It was not a day for great tennis, honestly," admitted Gauff. "I don't know too many people that could play great tennis today, but it's part of the sport and part of playing outside." American film director and diehard New York Knicks fan Spike Lee was in attendance and celebrated with Gauff after her victory. "I wanted to tell him, I had to do it, that even though the Knicks didn't win, I gave him something to cheer for," she said, in reference to the Knicks' defeat by the Indiana Pacers in the NBA's Eastern Conference Finals last weekend. Both players struggled on serve, especially in a 77-minute first set featuring eight breaks. Sabalenka said she thought Swiatek would have beaten Gauff if she had not ended the Pole's title defence in the semi-finals, but the actual champion shot down those thoughts. "I don't agree with that. I'm sitting here," said Gauff, who thrashed Swiatek 6-1, 6-1 in the Madrid semi-finals last month, taking a glance at the trophy next to her. "Last time I played -- no shade to Iga or anything, but I played her and I won in straight sets. "I don't think that's a fair thing to say, because anything can really happen."
Economic Times
2 hours ago
- Economic Times
'I‘m still in shock, honestly can't find...': Coco Gauff after winning maiden French Open crown
Coco Gauff became the first American player to lift the trophy since Serena Williams in 2015. (Twitter Photo) 'I'm still in shock, honestly can't find the words,' said an emotional Coco Gauff after clinching her maiden French Open crown at the Roland Garros in Paris on Saturday (June 7). The 21-year-old American produced a fearless display, after losing the opening set, to beat the top seed and world number one Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka of 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 in just over two and half hours. She clinched her first Grand Slam title on the red clay and her second Major championship after the 2023 US Open. Before her success in Paris, she had experienced defeats in the finals of clay court tournaments in both Madrid and Rome. By achieving this milestone, Gauff also became the first American since Serena Williams in 2015 to secure this prestigious trophy. Her remarkable ability to clinch victories after losing the opening set has been evident in both her major championships, including her triumph against Sabalenka at the US Open two years ago. Taking to social media platform X, the young American spoke her heart out filled with emotions."wow. this means so much to me truly….french open champion. i worked so hard for this moment and for it to have happened is insane. thank you God and thank you everyone. this means the world…. I 'm still in shock honestly can't find the words but all I can say for now is just thank you and never give up on your dreams," her post read."Honestly, I didn't think I could do it," the American world number two said between tears after the victory."I was going through a lot of things when I lost here three years ago," Gauff, who lost to Iga Swiatek in the final in 2022, was visibly heartbroken after her defeat to Gauff in the final. The Belarusian star broke down in tears as she described her performance as 'terrible'.Following her loss to Gauff in the championship match, Sabalenka was visibly heartbroken. She broke down in tears while expressing her disappointment, describing her performance as 'terrible'.'Honestly guys, this one hurts so much. Especially after such a tough two weeks — playing great tennis, and then in these terrible conditions, to show such terrible tennis in the final, it really hurts. But it's ok,' Sabalenka said while fighting back tears and holding the runner-up trophy.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
'I‘m still in shock, honestly can't find...': Coco Gauff after winning maiden French Open crown
Never give up on your dreams: Gauff Live Events — CocoGauff (@CocoGauff) Sabalenka terms her performance 'terrible' (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel 'I'm still in shock, honestly can't find the words,' said an emotional Coco Gauff after clinching her maiden French Open crown at the Roland Garros in Paris on Saturday (June 7).The 21-year-old American produced a fearless display, after losing the opening set, to beat the top seed and world number one Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka of 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 in just over two and half clinched her first Grand Slam title on the red clay and her second Major championship after the 2023 US Open. Before her success in Paris, she had experienced defeats in the finals of clay court tournaments in both Madrid and achieving this milestone, Gauff also became the first American since Serena Williams in 2015 to secure this prestigious trophy. Her remarkable ability to clinch victories after losing the opening set has been evident in both her major championships, including her triumph against Sabalenka at the US Open two years to social media platform X, the young American spoke her heart out filled with emotions."wow. this means so much to me truly….french open champion. i worked so hard for this moment and for it to have happened is insane. thank you God and thank you everyone. this means the world…. I 'm still in shock honestly can't find the words but all I can say for now is just thank you and never give up on your dreams," her post read."Honestly, I didn't think I could do it," the American world number two said between tears after the victory."I was going through a lot of things when I lost here three years ago," Gauff, who lost to Iga Swiatek in the final in 2022, was visibly heartbroken after her defeat to Gauff in the final. The Belarusian star broke down in tears as she described her performance as 'terrible'.Following her loss to Gauff in the championship match, Sabalenka was visibly heartbroken. She broke down in tears while expressing her disappointment, describing her performance as 'terrible'.'Honestly guys, this one hurts so much. Especially after such a tough two weeks — playing great tennis, and then in these terrible conditions, to show such terrible tennis in the final, it really hurts. But it's ok,' Sabalenka said while fighting back tears and holding the runner-up trophy.
